


Cold Hands and Star-Lit Conversations

by mobheroacademia



Category: Real Person Fiction, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Abusive Parents, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Not Beta Read, Sad Ethan Nestor, also they're supposed to be like teenagers in this, conversion therapy, crankiplier - Freeform, it's only mentioned though, mark fischbach is a good boyfriend, probably like 17-18 idk i just wrote this in like 30 mins and posted it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28283616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mobheroacademia/pseuds/mobheroacademia
Summary: There's something on Ethan's mind. He finally tells his boyfriend, Mark.
Relationships: Mark Fischbach/Ethan Nestor
Comments: 1
Kudos: 79





	Cold Hands and Star-Lit Conversations

**Author's Note:**

> vent fic, tw for mention of conversion therapy/homophobia!

Ethan’s breath came out in clouds as he exhaled into the cold winter air. He gazed up at the star-dotted sky, feeling the thrum of bass emitting from the car’s speakers vibrating through his body. He splayed his hand out on the cool roof of his boyfriend’s van, his lip quivering as he let out another breath and watched the small cloud disappear into the night.

  


Ethan turned his head to the aforementioned boyfriend, who was now climbing up to the roof to sit with him, a blanket slung over his shoulder.

  


“Thinking again?” Mark asked softly, taking a seat next to Ethan. “You’re shaking,” he commented, draping the fluffy blanket over Ethan’s shoulders.

  


Ethan smiled sadly, mumbling a, “Thanks,” before looking down to the ground, unable to meet Mark’s eyes.

  


“Hey, what’s up?” Mark asked, cupping Ethan’s face gently, “Seriously, I’m worried about you.”

  


Ethan leaned into his touch, unable to resist the warmth. “Don’t want you to worry…” he sighed, pressing his cold hand over Mark’s so he wouldn’t pull away.

  


“I’m gonna worry either way, Eth,” Mark offered a small chuckle, brushing a lock of hair out of Ethan’s face as he stared into his eyes.

  


“I’m…” Ethan started, trailing off. He could already feel himself getting choked up, his eyes starting to brim with tears and a lump forming in his throat. “I’m just… scared, I guess. Things at home are… not… good.” He pressed his lips together, still avoiding eye contact as he tried to will away tears that were sure to fall. Mark’s empathetic and concerned look didn’t go unnoticed, though.

  


“You know you can always talk to me, right, Eth? I love you and I care about you so much,” Mark took Ethan’s hand and pressed it to his lips, giving him a kiss, “I never want you to be hurting if there’s anything I can do to prevent it, or at least make it a little bit better.”

  


Ethan smiled halfheartedly, meeting Mark’s eyes, “I love you.”

  


Mark pulled him in for a hug. There they sat for a few minutes, Ethan in Mark’s arms, crying softly into his chest. The cold winter air bit at Ethan’s face and hands, but nothing mattered when he was protected by Mark like this. Nothing mattered when he was pressed against Mark’s warm body.

  


“I think my parents are sending me to conversion therapy,” Ethan shakily admitted when he pulled away from Mark.

  


Confusion was written all over Mark’s face.  _ “What?  _ Wait, what do you mean, conversion therapy?”

  


“Conversion therapy. Like,  _ we-think-your-boyfriend-made-you-gay-and-we-can-fix-that-in-time conversion therapy.” _

  


“Are you serious?” Mark asked, reeling back as he tried to process what Ethan was telling him, “You-you can’t be serious, right?”

  


Ethan’s voice was weak but full of frustration when he huffed, “Why would I lie about this?”

  


Mark nodded, “Yeah. Yeah you’re-you’re right, sorry.” He sat there for a moment, staring off, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. “Do you know when? What’re they gonna do?”

  


“I’m supposed to start seeing a therapist next week,” Ethan pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders as he looked down at his lap, as if it could somehow shield him from the eerie reality he was facing.

  


The silence seemed deafening to Ethan. Was Mark gonna leave him? Had he finally realized Ethan was just weighing him down? Was this the final straw, finding out his boyfriend was so hopeless, now likely to cut him off against his will?

  


Ethan felt warm hands grasp his own and he looked up to meet eyes with Mark, who had moved so close their faces were practically touching.

  


“Run away with me.” His voice was practically breathless as he spoke the words, his eyes filled with hope and uncertainty. “You don’t have to stay here. You don’t have to stay with them. We could go somewhere, just you and me.”

  


Ethan was speechless, his eyes flickering over Mark’s face, analyzing to find any hint of this being some kind of joke. “Are you… Are you serious, Mark?”

  


Mark seemed to deflate a bit, but he kept persisting with that same hopeful look in his eyes. “Yes. I understand if you don’t want to leave your family. I don’t want to force you to do anything, but… But imagine how great it could be. You wouldn’t have to put up with anyone telling you that you’re broken. We could be happy.”

  


Mark was wiping tears from Ethan’s face before he could even realize he’d started to cry. “Mark…” he exhaled in awe, starting to break down into tears once more. He practically sank into Mark’s body, shaking with the force of his sobs as strong arms wrapped around him protectively, a hand coming up to stroke his hair.

  


Mark pressed kisses against Ethan’s hair, and Ethan could feel the rumble of his voice in his chest. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, Ethan.”

  


Ethan pulled away, cupping Mark’s face in his hands and smiling a genuine smile for the first time in what felt like months. “Yes. Of course, yes,” he pulled Mark in for a kiss, practically beaming as he felt Mark smile and pull him in closer.

  


“I love you,” Ethan whispered when they pulled away, their foreheads pressed together.

  


“I love you, Ethan.”


End file.
